Even though the law classifies public records as public information, which makes them accessible to anyone who needs them in the United States, each and every state has its own laws regarding them. This is also true for Texas. There are laws that govern the disseminating of public records in the state. This article will show how to do a public records search in Texas.
Texas, situated in the south central part of the United States, is the second largest state in the country. With a population of about 28 million, Texas is the second most populated sate in the United States, with 254 counties. The state began the registration of public records as early as 1839 with information on people from all the 254 counties.
Public records are known as details that are not considered confidential and generally have information on government operations. Even though the Freedom of Information was introduced since the 1960s, each government has regulations and policies in place that govern the disseminating of public records.
Public Records in Texas
In Texas, the Texas Public Information Act normally referred to as the Texas Government Code Chapter 552, states that government records and information is to be made available to the public. A number of records can be accessed by the public that way but there are restrictions that apply to some.
Public records can be classified into two categories. There are the personal public records and the government public records. Personal public records (also known as vital records) include birth certificates, death certificates, marriage records, divorce records for example. Government public records include tax records, property records, land records, crime data, voter records, court records, jail inmates records.
With the public records being this plenty, it is hard to determine which place to look for which record. This article will help you find that out to make your public records lookup a bliss. Since the digitization of public records, both government and third party websites are now able to offer these public records easily and reliably.
Online Searches
One place that can help you look up all the above types of public records is Online Searches. You can perform a simple public records search, criminal search, property records search, marriage and divorce records searches, birth and death records lookups and do employment screening in Texas from here. All you have to do is select the type of record you want to perform a search on from the search box provided on the platform.
To search fill in the identification details of the person you want to look up on the search box plus location (city and/ or state). You will also need to select the level on which you want to conduct your search. It can be federal, state, county, city, town or record type.
Furthermore, you can search for Texas public records using links from the site which allow you to search by record type.
State Records
State Records is designed with the sole intention to allow easy and straight forward ways of obtaining, examining arrest records, public records, court records and more, without the requester supplying specific information about themselves.
Searching from here will give you access to criminal records, vital records, court records, and more than 250 million additional public records.
Comptroller Texas Government
Individuals who are looking to access public records in Texas can do so from this Comptroller Texas Government website. All you have to do is submit an open records request through mail, in person, fax or by utilizing their FYI Open Records Tool.
The mailing address for mail request is:
Open Records Section
Comptroller of Public Accounts
P.O. Box 13528
Austin, Texas 78711-3528
For those who are looking to do in person deliveries or requests, they can go to:
Open Records Section
111 East 17th Street
LBJ State Office Bldg., Rm. 210
Austin, Texas 78701
Email and fax submission can be forwarded to:
By FAX
512-475-1610
Public Libraries
It is also possible to lookup public records in Texas from Public Libraries. This is possible from the search bar offered on the site. With a first name, last name, city and state (already selected for you), you can look up public records on anyone living in Texas.
The site also offers detailed information on how to conduct a public records search in Texas. These details answer commonly asked question such as, are birth records public in Texas? How do you get a copy of birth certificates in Texas?
There are details on Texas death records, marriage records, and where to get certified copies of them, divorce records and where to get certified copies, adoption records and civil and criminal court records.
For tips on how to do a public records search in Texas, you now have an idea. Try these tips and learn more about the person you are looking up. The state of Texas might be big, but public record searches in it are actually easy.